2012 Senior Bowl: Game Recap
Isaiah Pead won the MVP, but if the South had prevailed over the North, Joe Adams would have received the award.
Adams is a stud. He fumbled on the opening drive, but came back to catch eight balls for 133 yards. I don't know how many tackles he broke in this game, but it seemed like a dozen. He's going to be a play-maker out of the slot position with dynamic kick return ability to boot. He has a shot to be chosen in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
There were rumors heading into the Senior Bowl that some teams viewed Mike Adams as a top-15 prospect. He certainly looked the part on Saturday afternoon.
Adams was flat-out dominant - and not just against any ordinary defensive lineman. He shut Quinton Coples and Courtney Upshaw down, time after time. Upshaw did manage a sack against Adams on one occasion in the third quarter, but that was because Russell Wilson held on to the football too long on that play. Adams actually did a good job of pushing the Alabama end around; if Wilson would have stepped up in the pocket, Upshaw wouldn't have touched him.
There's no denying that Quinton Coples has top-five talent. I wouldn't touch him with a top-12 pick, however.
I have huge concerns about Coples' effort and motor. He had a down senior campaign, and whenever he was matched up with a legitimate tackle in this contest, he couldn't really do anything. Coples made some great plays Saturday afternoon, but only against guards Kelechi Osemele and Senio Kelemete, neither of whom should ever be lined up outside.
There's just something missing with Coples. He disappears far too often, and if I were spending a top-12 selection on him, I'd have huge concerns about his motivation after he signs a huge contract. People may want to point to Julius Peppers as another North Carolina defensive end who doesn't give 100 percent all the time, but Coples is not Peppers. Not even close. He doesn't have his burst.
Kirk Cousins was statistically guilty of an interception in the Senior Bowl, but that wasn't his worst throw because DeVier Posey stopped his route. Cousin's worst throw was a pass that he heaved downfield for an open Gerell Robinson, who beat first-round corner Janoris Jenkins. Cousins had a touchdown, but in Brady Quinn-like fashion, he tossed the ball late and out of bounds. That was very disappointing to see out of a potential second-rounder.
Juron Criner dropped a pass Saturday afternoon, but that was his only blemish in what was an impressive Senior Bowl week for him. Finishing with six catches for 77 yards, Criner solidified his second-round status. There's also a shot he'll be selected on the first day, but I wouldn't bet on that just yet.
All the talk was about the South's pass-rushers, like Quinton Coples, Melvin Ingram and Courtney Upshaw, but Vinny Curry was more impressive than all of them. Curry was in the backfield quite often, even collecting a strip-sack of Nick Foles. He also forced Brandon Weeden into an interception, hitting him as the Oklahoma State quarterback released his throw.
Curry has a shot to be drafted at the end of the first round. He's a perfect fit for Bill Belichick's scheme, and I'm sure both the Ravens and Packers will show some interest.
Nick Foles has all the physical tools, but just seems to lack the mental aspect of the game. His footwork is just awful, and you couldn't really see it here because blitzing is illegal in the Senior Bowl, but he doesn't seem to know what to do when pressured.
Foles made some nice throws Saturday afternoon, but was lucky that a pick-six of his was dropped by Leonard Johnson in the third quarter. He also missed Joe Adams for a potential touchdown on the following drive, as he threw way behind the Razorback wideout.
Jeff Fuller caught three balls for 19 yards, but was responsible for a drop, which is something that plagued him throughout the week. He had a very disappointing Senior Bowl.
Ben Jones also had an awful Senior Bowl. He had issues blocking most of the North team's interior linemen, including Alameda Ta'amu, who tossed him aside on a couple of occasions. Jones also pushed Vinny Curry into Nick Foles for a strip-sack in the second half.
Marvin Jones was under the radar heading into this week because he wasn't the No. 1 receiver at Cal. That's not the case anymore. Jones had a spectacular week, highlighted by an eight-yard touchdown from Russell Wilson.
Excluding anything special teams-related, Doug Martin was the best running back on the field at the Senior Bowl. He had two big gains in which he displayed nice speed and solid lower body strength to break tackles. He also had a nice downfield block on a touchdown.
I've seen some respected NFL Draft analysts compare Martin to Ray Rice because of his running and pass-catching ability. Like Rice, Martin could be chosen in the second round.
It looked like it was going to be ugly for Kellen Moore early on. He had an interception dropped by Dwight "Bill" Bentley early in the second quarter. However, he came back and threw two touchdown passes that were dropped by Marvin McNutt and DeVier Posey on the ensuing drive. Moore also had a beautiful, 20-yard touch pass that he lofted up for his fullback in the fourth quarter despite the fact that he had to move his receivers to the correct spot as the play clock was running down. He showed great composure in that situation.
Moore finished a mediocre 6-of-12 for 50 yards. I find myself rooting for him because everyone is so down on him, but he's nothing more than a career backup quarterback in the NFL. He'll be a solid No. 2 though; he's really smart, so he'll be able to master a system.
Isaiah Pead was named MVP of the Senior Bowl, thanks to two great punt returns. He also had 31 rushing yards on eight carries, though he was brought down by one of Quinton Coples' arms on one attempt. Still, it'll be an upset if he makes it to the third day of the 2012 NFL Draft at this point.
Chris Polk has been heavily criticized this week. Many have noted that he looked overweight and out of shape on the practice field. The Sun Tan Man himself said that Polk has hurt his stock more than any other player at the Senior Bowl. However, Polk began the game by breaking tackles on several plays, as he seemed determined to prove his detractors wrong. He was solid on the first drive, but disappeared after that. He finished with 15 yards on six carries.
Did DeVier Posey think the Senior Bowl was on Sunday, or something? He played like he was sleepwalking through this game. He dropped a couple of passes and stopped his route on one occasion, resulting in a Kirk Cousins interception. I don't see how Posey can be selected prior to the sixth round at this point.
Mitchell Schwartz, OT, California
Like Mike Adams, Mitchell Schwartz put the clamps on Quinton Coples and Courtney Upshaw. Schwartz enjoyed a good week prior to this contest, so he did a good job in solidifying his Day 2 potential.
Bobby Wagner had a really nice Senior Bowl. He led all players with seven tackles. He also notched a TFL, an interception and a pass break-up. Wagner can play a variety of linebacker positions, which will help him get into the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Brandon Weeden was the most impressive quarterback all week, and that didn't change in this contest. He was very sharp on his first couple of drives. On one play, he was smart enough to see coverage over the top, so he intentionally underthrew a pass that was completed to tight end Brad Smelley.
Weeden didn't finish well, however. Near the end of the first quarter, he stumbled from under center and made a poor decision to throw the ball into coverage. Linebacker Bobby Wagner made an easy pick. Weeden tossed a second ugly interception on the South's penultimate drive of the game. It was a terrible pass thrown right to linebacker James-Michael Johnson.
I think Weeden has done enough to get him into the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Given his age, however, I can't see any team spending a first-round pick on him. Doing so would be very irresponsible.
There was some bad and some good from Russell Wilson in this contest. On the first drive, he overthrew Marvin McNutt, who was wide open in the end zone after beating Brandon Boykin. Wilson was intercepted on the next drive because he threw the ball way late. LSU safety Brandon Taylor came up with the easy pick.
Wilson really improved after that. Despite three botched snaps by Rishaw Johnson (a natural guard playing center for some reason), Wilson was able to lead the North to a touchdown in which he rolled out of the pocket and showed off some great accuracy to Cal wideout Marvin Jones. Earlier on the possession, Wilson turned two of Johnson's crappy snaps into positive plays. He picked up the football and was able to elude some defenders before completing the pass.
Wilson's height hurts him, but his arm strength and accuracy are both very good. Some team is going to believe in him enough to select him in Rounds 3-5.
Stock Up/ Stock Down
2012 NFL Draft Stock Up
The highest-ranked prospect at the Senior Bowl validated that evaluation with a dominant week. Quinton Coples regularly destroyed offensive linemen with a combination of strength and speed. He was a tough run defender while being an overwhelming pass-rusher. In the one-on-ones, Coples won the vast majority of his reps. He repeatedly and resoundingly beat Florida State offensive tackle Zebrie Sanders. Coples also had wins against Georgia' guard/tackle Cordy Glenn. Both of those linemen entered the week as potential first-round picks. Not only does Coples (6-5, 281) possess ideal size and speed, he is a developed pass rusher. He uses speed and power to execute a dynamic set of moves. Coples can speed rush to either direction. He also has a good rip move, a spin move and he can bull rush. He just needs to become more consistent.
Some draft pundits have knocked Coples because his production declined, but that was clearly from teams double blocking him constantly and rolling away from him. As a senior, he totaled 55 tackles with 15 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He broke out in 2010 with 10 sacks, 15.5 tackles for a loss, and 59 tackles. After the show Coples put on for scouts in Mobile, he looks like a secure top-10 pick in April.
One of the top offensive playmakers in Mobile was Juron Criner. He transitioned the strengths he showed in college to the All-Star week practices. Throughout his collegiate career, Criner made a steady habit of bailing out quarterback Nick Foles with big catches downfield. He did that at Senior Bowl for Foles and the other South quarterbacks. Criner beat quality cornerbacks all weeks with tough catches over them. He also showed the ability to generate separation and get open against smaller quick defensive backs. Criner runs good routes, has reliable hands and possesses excellent body control.
From practice to practice, Criner was consistent. He performed well each practice. He excelled in one-one-ones, seven-on-sevens and in the team scrimmage. After his strong week in Mobile, Criner made the case to move up into the second round. In speaking to NFL coaches at the Senior Bowl, they felt that Criner was perhaps the most impressive receiver.
For those who may have forgotten, Jenkins showed why he was viewed as a top-15 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft after he decided to stay for his senior season. Jenkins was arrested multiple times for pot possession, and that got him kicked out of Florida. After a dominant season at North Alabama, Jenkins matched up against the top senior wideouts in the nation and showed blanket coverage. Jenkins is an excellent athlete with flexible hips and speed to burn. That allows him to turn with receivers in their routes and not allow separation. When receivers do get a step Jenkins, he quickly recovers and closes in an instant.
Even though Jenkins (5-9, 191) is undersized, he battles tall receivers and does not allow them to beat him with their height advantage. Jenkins' strong week could have solidified his draft stock as a first-round pick in the draft assuming he can convince teams that his troubles are behind him.
Running backs are the hardest position to evaluate at Senior Bowl because practices don't allow tackling. As a result, it is impossible to know if backs would break tackles and get yards after contact. Despite those limitations, Martin stood out above the other breaks for a few reasons. The top one being his third-down abilities. Martin was one of the half backs who performed the best in blitz pickup drills against linebackers. He has the strength to take the hits from linebackers and fits up well on them at the point of attack. He also was one of the best backs for running routes out of the backfield. He burned linebackers with quickness and showed good hands.
Martin showed a burst through the hole and ripped off some good runs in the team scrimmage. At the weigh-in, Martin looked like a body builder. There isn't an ounce of fat on the 5-foot-9, 219-pounder. Martin has the muscular armor to take the hits that come with the position in the NFL. He also is expected to run well at the combine. After a strong Senior Bowl, it wouldn't be surprising to hear Martin's name called in the second round.
Ingram was one of the most dangerous defensive playmakers in college football in 2011, and he showed off his amazing athleticism in Mobile. Ingram was dominant in pass rushing one-on-ones all week. He has fabulous speed to go along real power. Ingram bull rushed linemen while also blazing by them around the corner. Ingram has a good rip move and spin move to beat offensive linemen.
As a senior, Ingram had 48 tackles with 10 sacks. He had two fumbles returned for touchdowns and a 68-yard touchdown run on a fake punt. He showed why he is a future first-round pick with his performance in the Senior Bowl. Ingram (6-1, 276) is such a good athlete with rare explosion off the snap. Even though he is short and has short arms, he uses his height to his advantage to play with natural pad level. It wouldn't be surprising if some 3-4 defenses consider him as an outside linebacker.
With the South defensive line, it was a pick your poison between Coples, Ingram and Upshaw. Upshaw got his week started when he caused murmurs from the crowd at the weigh-in. The muscular Upshaw checked in at 6-foot-1, 273-pounds. That was heavier than expected, but he carries that weight extremely well and looks like a bear. On the field, it is amazing how much speed and flexibility that Upshaw has at that weight. As result, he remains an option for 3-4 defenses as an outside linebacker.
Like Ingram, Upshaw has natural pad level. Combining that with his power and weight, Upshaw routinely beat offensive linemen with bull rushes. He also had the speed to turn the corner, and like Coples, Upshaw won a lot of battles against Sanders. He should go in the top 25 picks and has the ability to be a special 4-3 defensive end in the NFL.
Weeden was the most impressive signal-caller at the Senior Bowl. He has a strong arm to make all the throws in the NFL. Weeden carved up Big XII secondaries with a prolific passing attack the past few seasons, but the terrible defenses in his conference never consistently challenged him. At the Senior Bowl, he showed the ability to throw the ball into tight windows against better defensive backs. Weeden definitely has the arm and pocket stature to start in the NFL. As a senior, he completed 72 percent of his passes for 4,727 yards with 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Weeden (6-3, 219) has advanced field vision for a prospect entering the NFL, and does a good job of working through his progressions. The big issue for Weeden is his age. He will be a 29-year-old rookie in the NFL. Thus by the end of his rookie contract, his skills could be declining. That puts pressure on Weeden and the team that drafts him to get him ready to play very quickly. However, his strong week in Mobile has Weeden moving into the second day of the 2012 NFL Draft.
Another defensive lineman who had a strong week was Reyes. He routinely beat offensive linemen in the one-on-one drills. Reyes has a powerful bull rush to go along with some surprising speed rushes. The North defensive linemen really struggled with blocking him all week. He is fast closing on the quarterback with quickness off the snap. Reyes would be a good fit in a 4-3 defense. A 3-4 team could also consider him to be a five technique defensive end.
Reyes (6-3, 300) never had a big season of sack production, and that is curious considering how well he rushed the passer in Mobile. As a senior Reyes had 4.5 sacks with 46 tackles and 13.5 tackles for a loss. With how he performed at the Senior Bowl, Reyes should be a solid second-day selection.
At the Senior Bowl, Jones was able to escape the shadow of college teammate Keenan Allen. Jones was the secondary receiver at Cal, but at the Senior Bowl, he really stood out as one of the more polished wideouts. Against quality defensive backs, Jones got separation with quickness and route running. He is a smooth, well-rounded receiver who has good hands. The 6-foot-1, 198-pounder has good speed to go along with quality size.
As a senior, Jones was the second option behind Allen, but he recorded 62 receptions for 846 yards and three touchdowns. There is no doubt that Jones would have had better production if he had been the primary receiver. Allen looks like a potential first-round pick, but Jones showed that he is worth consideration on the second day of the NFL Draft after entering the week as a third-day prospect.
Martin was a powerful load at the Senior Bowl. Throughout the week, he was overpowering offensive linemen straight back into the quarterback marker during the one-on-one scrimmages. When Martin would expect that they were prepared for the bull rush, he would hit them with a speed rush and rip move to get by the tackles. There were many plays in the nine-on-nine and team scrimmages that Martin would burst through the line and blow up plays in the backfield.
Martin may have helped his stock more than any other player at the Senior Bowl. He entered the week as a third-day pick and now could go early in the second round. Martin (6-1, 307) is a huge man; a mound of muscle. It is a head-scratcher as to why Martin didn't produce more at Michigan. He had a career total of 10 sacks despite being a three-year starter and getting playing time as a freshman.
Honorable Mentions: Virginia defensive end Cam Johnson, Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry, Cincinnati defensive end Derek Wolfe, Clemson defensive tackle Brandon Thompson, North Carolina outside linebacker Zach Brown, Nebraska outside linebacker Lavonte David, Georgia guard/tackle Cordy Glenn, Ohio State offensive tackle Mike Adams, Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin, Louisiana-Lafayette cornerback Dwight 'Bill' Bentley, LSU safety Brandon Taylor, Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith, Texas defensive tackle Kheeston Randall, Troy offensive tackle James Brown, Cal offensive tackle Michael Schwartz and Iowa wide receiver Marvin McNutt.
2012 NFL Draft Stock Down
The Seminole offensive tackle had a rough week. Zebrie Sanders was consistently beat in the one-on-one pass protection drills. He especially struggled with Coples, Upshaw and Ingram. That is a real concern. As a starting offensive tackle and edge blocker, Sanders has to be up the task of holding his own against tough pass-rushers. During any NFL season, Sanders will consistently face first-round pass rushers, and it is paramount that he can protect his quarterback.
Some felt that Sanders could be a left tackle in the NFL, but that view should be scraped after the Senior Bowl. For the next level, Sanders should stay at right tackle, the position he started out for most of the past four years. He has the flexibility to play left tackle in a pinch, and that is a nice option on game days if a starter goes down with an injury. While some were pushing Sanders as a late first-round pick, his Senior Bowl performance should place his stock in the draft as a selection on Friday night.
Dennard started out the week in Mobile extremely poorly with an ugly practice on Monday. He was better on Tuesday and Wednesday, but his performance overall was disappointing from a projected first-round pick. The big concern with Dennard was it looked like he struggled to flip his hips and run with receivers downfield. Dennard is tough and physical. He showed well in the run defense one-on-ones, but really seemed to be on his heels throughout the pass coverage one-on-ones.
Dennard left the Senior Bowl early with a hip injury, and perhaps that was bothering him throughout the week. If so he should have dropped out immediately as the practices hurt his stock. Maybe the injury is significant enough to convince teams that Dennard's Senior Bowl was an aberration. Dennard does have a lot of good tape from his college career, especially in 2011. Right now, Dennard could fall out of the first round, but there is plenty of time for him to get back into the top 32. There have been many first-rounders and good NFL players who struggled in Mobile but bounced back in the months to come.
Some NFL coaches told me they were disappointed in Dwight Jones. They felt his route-running was terrible. Jones takes extra steps in and out of his breaks, and that allows cornerbacks to maintain tight coverage. Jones (6-3, 226) has good size and some speed, but looks like he is going to need development at the NFL level. Coaches were really down on Jones, and he is going to need to stand out at the combine to help rehab his stock. That seems entirely possible, but right now Jones could be falling into the third round.
Polk was the most disappointing running back in Mobile. He really struggled in blitz protection as a blocker. To make matters worse, he had a hard time getting separation from linebackers while running his routes as a receiver. Polk (5-10, 224) should probably drop 10 pounds to get quicker. He looked slow hitting the hole and running in the open field. He was a potential second-round pick entering Senior Bowl, but now looks like more like a third- or fourth-rounder. Polk needs to come up with a big time combine performance.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ohio State center Mike Brewster, Ohio State wide receiver DeVier Posey, Ohio State running back Boom Herron, Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway, Texas A&M wide receiver Jeff Fuller, Alabama center William Vlachos and Nevada linebacker James-Michael Johnson.
*Rumor Mill: 1/28/12
After coaches and scouts returned to their home towns from the Senior Bowl, the quality of the talent at Mobile was heavily discussed. Overall, a number of NFL coaches weren't particularly impressed. The one exception was the defensive linemen, and particularly the South's defensive line. North Carolina's Quinton Coples, Alabama's Courtney Upshaw and South Carolina's Melvin Ingram are all future first-round picks this April. Aside from them, there were a few other players who are strong candidates for the second day.
A few NFL coaches from teams that have drafted defensive linemen highly in recent years said that the South's defensive line was better than their team's defensive line. That was largely meant as a compliment of those prospects, and not an indictment on their players.
A few NFL coaches from teams that have drafted defensive linemen highly in recent years said that the South's defensive line was better than their team's defensive line. That was largely meant as a compliment of those prospects, and not an indictment on their players.
One position group that coaches expressed some serious disappointment in was the wide receivers. Arizona's Juron Criner was complimented as the standout of the group, with Cal's Marvin Jones playing better than expected. Otherwise, there were some players who were very underwhelming. That group was led by North Carolina wide receiver Dwight Jones (6-3, 226) and Texas A&M wide out Jeff Fuller (6-4, 217). They both have size, but struggled with route running. Houston's Patrick Edwards (5-8, 168), Arkansas' Joe Adams (5-10, 174) and Alabama's Marquis Maze (5-7, 184) all have major size concerns that hurt them significantly with coaches. There were a few other receivers who were decent - Iowa wide out Marvin McNutt and Appalachian State wide receiver Brian Quick - but coaches didn't feel there was a candidate to be a first-round pick with the wideouts.
The defensive backs, offensive linemen and linebackers received some praise. Right now, the players whom coaches are really speaking highly about are the obvious top of the draft underclassmen like Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, LSU's Morris Claiborne and USC's Matt Kalil. Coaches feel that with each passing year, the underclassmen are becoming more and more the strength of the first round.
The final rumor that coaches believe is gaining steam is the St. Louis Rams trading down for a team that is desperate to land Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Redskins, Dolphins and Browns are the usual suspects being discussed at this point.
The defensive backs, offensive linemen and linebackers received some praise. Right now, the players whom coaches are really speaking highly about are the obvious top of the draft underclassmen like Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon, LSU's Morris Claiborne and USC's Matt Kalil. Coaches feel that with each passing year, the underclassmen are becoming more and more the strength of the first round.
The final rumor that coaches believe is gaining steam is the St. Louis Rams trading down for a team that is desperate to land Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III. The Redskins, Dolphins and Browns are the usual suspects being discussed at this point.
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